Celebrating a decade of support for babies, children and families

From diet and nutrition to social and communications skills, A Better Start Southend looks back at the impact it has had on improving outcomes for children that will last well beyond the end of the programme.

 

A Better Start Southend was a 10-year, £36.7 million National Lottery Community Fund programme, promoting good early childhood development.

 

Involving local parents, A Better Start Southend developed and tested ways to improve children’s diet and nutrition, social and emotional skills, and speech, language and communication.

 

Dr Nia Thomas, Director of ABSS, explained:

 

“A Better Start Southend programme was part of a time limited fund and we’re incredibly proud at what it has achieved in its 10-year lifespan.

“Throughout the programme, we have put families at the heart of everything we do and have supported some life-changing projects and services.

“It’s cause for celebration that so many of those services will continue beyond the end of A Better Start Southend – not to mention everything we have learnt that will help to inform and support services in Southend and beyond. Our research findings will be published later in the year.”

There have been many A Better Start Southend highlights, including:

 

Festival of Conversations: Working in partnership with ABSS partners, parents and community leaders, our final festival took place in the summer of 2024. Families enjoyed free activities, which were opportunities to make lasting memories together.

 

Winning two Children & Young People Now Awards (2022): The Talking Transitions project won the prestigious Early Years Award for building relationships between early years settings and schools, providing specialist training to professionals and ensuring knowledge was shared with parents.

 

The A Better Start Southend team also won the Partnership Award, highlighting the importance and benefits of the ABSS’s partnership way of working to deliver an impactful programme, alongside a dedicated community of parents.

 

Tara Poore, previous Director of ABSS, shared:

“Winning two prestigious CYP Now awards plays testament to all who work tirelessly in the early years space to improve the outcomes of Southend’s youngest residents.”

 

Positive project outcomes: Some projects have received new funding to continue in new and different ways. Southend Storysacks will continue to be delivered from Southend Libraries and as the Parent Champion programme ends, a new Southend’s Parent Voice pilot programme launches in partnership with SAVS and Southend City Council.

 

An ABSS Parent Champion, reflected:

“What I would take to be a Parent Champion into the future is the standard that they’ve set out for us as a parent, how to engage with others, how to get involved in activities with the children, and to encourage other new mums and other parents coming up as well.”

Families can access valuable information and services from:

 

  • City Family – Providing advice and support to help families to navigate available services. Visit www.cityfamily.org.uk or call 01702 844118.
  • Livewell Southend – A hub for health and wellbeing services, including the SEND Local Offer. Visit www.livewellsouthend.com.

 

For updates on the A Better Start research findings, visit the Knowledge Hub on the A Better Start Southend website: https://abetterstartsouthend.co.uk/research-knowledge-hub/.

 

ENDS\

 

Editor’s notes:

 

For media enquiries, please email melanie.larke@eyalliance.org.uk or call Melanie Larke on 07562 666988.
A Better Start Southend (ABSS) programme was established through a grant of £36m and part of a ten-year test and learn programme from The National Lottery Community Fund.

 

What will continue:

 

  • YourFamily and Little Explorers Creche – These will continue under the City Family CIC ensuring early years support remains accessible.
  • Infant Feeding Support – The 3-to-5-month health visiting service will be expanded and available to all families in Southend, delivered by the Council’s Health Visiting Team.
  • Breastfeeding and Antenatal Support – The one-to-one breastfeeding service at Southend Hospital and the Journey to Parenthood antenatal programme will continue, though home visits will no longer be included.
  • Community Breastfeeding Support – A new breastfeeding support service, inspired by the Bump to Breast project, will be launched by the Council’s health visiting team.
  • Parent Engagement – The Council remains committed to ensuring parents’ voices shape future services and will trial new ways to support parent involvement.
  • Storysacks – This popular resource for encouraging early literacy has now moved to Southend Libraries and remains available to all families.
  • Food On Our Doorstep (FOOD) Club – Families will continue to have access to affordable, nutritious food through this programme.
  • Families Growing Together – The programme will evolve into innovative forest school activities, offering engaging outdoor learning for families.
  • Independent Domestic Violence Support – Safe Steps will continue to provide essential domestic abuse support services across Essex.
  • Speech and Language Support – While the Talking Transitions service is ending, Southend City Council will continue speech and language screening through its Verbo programme.

 

What is ending:

 

Some ABSS-funded services will not continue in their current form after March 2025, including:

 

  • Bump to Breast project – A new community breastfeeding service will replace this initiative.
  • Peer Support Workers for Social and Communication Needs – This service will conclude in June 2025, with efforts ongoing to secure funding for future support.
  • Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Visiting Service – This will end in June 2025, but learnings will inform future NHS maternity and mental health services.
  • Let’s Talk Service – While this programme is closing, its insights will shape future speech and language initiatives.
  • Work Skills Programme – This service will end, though its learnings will influence future training and employment support for parents.